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Tolin Dorden
'Doctor Tolin Dorden '''was the chief surgeon for the Tanith 1st Regiment, and it's second oldest officiary. A former G.P from County Pryze on Tanith, Dorden was conscripted by the newly founded regiments due to a shortage of medical personnel, and was one of only three fully trained medics in the regiment after the destruction of Tanith, the others being Gherran and Mtane. He took an oath never to harm as part of his medical training, which he broke only once, in order to save Gaunt's life on Menazoid Epsilon. His son, Mikal Dorden, served in the regiment alongside him, but was killed at Veyveyr Gate in Vervunhive, ending the only Tanith blood line relationship in the Tanith 1st. Dorden was killed, along with Trooper Rhen Merrt, in an explosion during the battle on the Salvation's Reach Space Hulk. Appearance An almost elderly man in his late sixties, Dorden had grey thinning hair and a silver goatee beard. With a craggy face and weary eyes, Dorden was often seen as simply weary from his years dealing with the dead and dying. He had a winning grin and twinkling eyes. Over the course of his time with the regiment, Dorden grew more thin and frail, particularly during his final years. By the time the Regiment were tasked with an attack on Salvation's Reach, he was described as being almost unfit for service. Personality Dorden was a very well meaning man, with a warm and friendly manner that is married to a often blunt honesty towards his perceptions of Guard life, which has endeared him to many people, and his fatherly protective manner means he is seen as being a saint to the Ghosts. Although a non combatant, with an open refusal to ever bear arms, Dorden had often questioned the course of things and is known to be very stringent and dedicated to his morality and principles. Occasionaly, such as during a falling out with Gaunt over incidents that occured on Aexe Cardinale, Dorden displayed a more bitter almost petty stubborness, although this was usually dispensed with when the time to work arrived. Early Life & Background As a young man, Dorden was a trainee physician before becoming a full general practioner, where he served as a county doctor in County Pryze and Beldane. During his earlier years, he successfuly delivered Colm Corbec during a difficult birth. He also was an active member of the community during his time practicing, and was secretary of the County Pryze Citizen's Players. He performed in amateur plays including a role as Prince Teygoth Dorden was married for most of his life on Tanith, where he enjoyed a comfortable domestic routine, and had two children; Mikal and Clara. Dorden was conscripted by the newly founding Tanith regiments due to a shortage of medical personnel, while his son Mikal joined as a trooper. The Tanith 1st Dorden serves as the company's chief surgeon and doctor, saving countless lives both under the knife in camp, and on the field. He was mainly alone in his practice until the introduction of Curth during ''Necropolis, ''with whom he shares his burden of work and a professional, friendly relationship. He is seen as a father figure to the soldiers, being one of the oldest members of the regiment. During the recollections of ''Ghostmaker ''he is shown putting his own life on the line in an open battlefield in order to give his patients a chance of survival, even when it goes against his better judgment and the forces of Chaos were bearing down upon them. As of ''Blood Pact it is revealed that he has terminal cancer, and despite his age he insists on being allowed to work with the Tanith First as normal. By the time the regiment is redeployed to Salvation's Reach, Dorden's health has deteriorated rapidly, but he has outlived all expectations and become a more spiritual man. Even after he technically dies for four minutes during the voyage, Dorden refuses to sit back and wait for death to claim him, and after an incident which left many Ghosts injured Dorden ventures into hostile territory to act as a field medic. While Sergeant Haller carried Captain Daur, who had been critically wounded during the fighting in the Reach, Dorden helped Trooper Rhen Merrt to walk, but the former marksman's chest wound was beyond repair. Eventually, Dorden convinced Haller to get Daur to safety and remained behind with Merrt, who could walk no further and was too much for Dorden to carry. Accepting their fate and determined to deny the Sons of Sek advancing on their position, Merrt shot the firing mechanism that detonated a minefield set up in the corridor he held; killing himself, Dorden and the squad of Archenemy shock troopers with the explosion. Despite the operation at Salvation's Reach being a success, the Ghosts' victory was hollow with the loss of Dorden. It is implied that Dorden was awarded a posthumous commendation in the book's epilogue.